1. Holiday pay survey. There is considerable variation in the local agreements being reached on this issue. In order to ensure local representatives have the best possible information we are conducting a survey of agreements reached. We would appreciate it if you could send your survey forms back as soon as possible to Colin Adkins.
2. MLAs - recruitment and new reps. MSF are currently looking at ways to improve our support to Medical Laboratory Assistants in the union, and I have put together a development plan to help facilitate this. I am also requiring your assistants to make it happen.
There are many issues that MLAs are concerned about.
- Poor Pay (salary range £8276 to £10418), with 8 years to achieve the top point on the scale, and no prospects of further progression
- No career opportunities, as the entry standards have been raised to become an MLSO, a possible door has closed to MLAs. They want to develop through their job in stages to move through the ranks to achieve MLSO status.
- Turnover is high for the above to reasons
- Women dominated profession - and this could highlight issues around low pay
- High levels of responsibility placed on MLAs, with them often taking on more responsibility than they should advising medical staff, researching issues, interpreting results, training others.
- Often poor weekend arrangements time off in lieu, no paid alternative
There are bound to be more issued found as time progresses. With Agenda for Change and the NHS National Plan, there are going to be opportunities for MSF to put forward a case for MLAs. However, our membership needs to be much stronger.
Initial meetings of MLAs (often where we have little membership) have seen everyone joining MSF, with reps elected. We need to do this in every trust. I am therefore asking for your support to work with your Regional Officer to call a workplace meeting for MLAs for the purposes of recruitment and talking about issues.
In some trusts we are finding UNISON have got there before us, we need to make it clear that MSF is the union for MLAs it has the structures and is campaigning specifically for this group of workers.
Our intelligence on MLA reps is not clear, so we are building a new database of MLA reps, which will be built into a national network. As soon as we move on this, we will be able to start the campaigning. Please let your regional officer, and Terry Jarvis in the MSF Health Sector Office have a name of MLA reps.
We will be running a survey for MLAs in the future about their terms and conditions, however we need the membership first.
If you have any initiatives that you have been working on with MLAs, please let your Regional Officer know.
In summary:
- Co-ordinate workplace MLA meetings with your Regional Officer
- Recruit new members
- Ensure you have an MLA rep in your trust
Please don't hesitate to contact your Regional Officer.
3. Community Health councils. Section 10 of the NHS Plan for England abolishes Community Health Councils. MSF members working in CHC's believe that they provide a unique source of information and an effective means of questioning local NHS services. Members have produced a campaign document summarising the case which can be obtained from the MSF Health Web site on (address) or via bremnerj@msf.org.uk.
4. Cars and mileage rates. The MSF/CVPHVA campaign continues to gain support. Motions have now been tabled in the Westminster, Scottish and Welsh Parliaments. Despite the moves to improve the agreements, there is no promise of extra monies and no immediate prospect of extra mileage rate increases, despite the petrol rises. If you want more details please contact nobles@msf.org.uk.
5. Northern Ireland assembly debates low pay for non-PRB staff. A motion has been tabled for discussion on Wednesday 1st November by the Rev. William McRea following sustained activity by the Northern Ireland Health Service branch which has organised a highly successful Stormont lobby, a well attended meeting of MLA's and widespread publicity.
6. Jobs advertised as being suitable for PRB and non-PRB staff. An increasing number of jobs are being advertised as being suitable for filling by PRB and non-PRB staff eg MT0/radiographer, ODP/theatre nurse. We are keen to have as many examples as possible of such adverts. Please post or fax them to Colin Adkins at the NHS office.
7. Inclusion of clinical support services in PFI bids or market testing arrangements. We need more information on any examples where this has happened, particularly in r4espect of equipment maintenance. Details please to Colin Adkins. We are very concerned about a "creeping" process whereby the rules are being quietly moved.
8. NHS pay. An update on NHS pay will be issued next week summarising developments.